2023 in Bolivia

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See also:	Other events of 2023 History of Bolivia  • Years

The following is a chronology of notable events from the year 2023 in Bolivia.

Incumbents

National government

• President: Luis Arce (MAS)
• Vice President: David Choquehuanca (MAS)
• President of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice: Ricardo Torres
• President of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal: Oscar Hassenteufel
• President of the Plurinational Constitutional Tribunal: Paul Franco
• President of the Senate: Andrónico Rodríguez (MAS)
• President of the Chamber of Deputies: Jerges Mercado (PCB)
• Assembly: 3rd

Events by month

January

• 1-9 January -
  • Protests continue in Santa Cruz de la Sierra over Governor Luis Fernando Camacho’s arrest; police impose movement restrictions.^[1][2][3][4]

• 1 January -
• Criminal justice authorities register the first two incidents of femicide in the country.^[5]
• President Luis Arce attends Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s inauguration in Brazil and meets Russian officials to discuss bilateral relations.^[6][7]

The year started with unrest in Santa Cruz Department (Bolivia) over the detention of the region's governor.

As protests spread, pro-government groups initiated their own marches.

• 2 January -
  • From prison, Camacho suffers significant health decompensation, including partial muscle and nerve paralysis.^[8] A hearing on whether the governor should be transferred to a hospital is opened at the Eighth Criminal Sentencing Court of Santa Cruz but is quickly suspended after the judge declines jurisdiction at the request of the Prosecutor's Office.^[9]
• 3 January -
  • The Supreme Tribunal of Justice and Plurinational Constitutional Court inaugurate the legal year, while at a third event in the city, magistrate Tereza Garrón is sworn in as president of the Agro-environmental Tribunal.^[10]
  • After over half a year in preventative detention, Max Mendoza, a former student leader accused of corruption, is released from San Pedro prison on house arrest and his bail is set at Bs 40,000.^[11]
• 9 January - Wilfredo Gutiérrez is sworn in as vice minister of transport, replacing Israel Ticona.^[12]

February

• 15 February - Heavy rain and hail causes flooding and landslides in Chuquisaca Department; 2,294 families are affected, 582 households are displaced, and one fatality is reported.^[13]

March

• 31 March - The World Bank approves an Inspection Panel investigation into the Santa Cruz Road Corridor Connector Project (San Ignacio - San José). Subsequent attempts at dispute resolution fail.^[14]

April

• 13 April - The government of Bolivia calls on the armed forces to tighten border controls in order to prevent the smuggling of state-subsidized fuel.^[15]

May

• 15 May -
  • Bolivia conducts a simulation exercise, using a board game format, to strengthen its National Deployment and Vaccination Plan for influenza and other respiratory viruses.^[16]
  • Demonstrators protest outside the offices of the Bolivian Episcopal Conference in La Paz with signs calling for sexual education without Church interference and denouncing priestly abuse.^[17]
• 31 May - Pope Francis sends a letter to President Luis Arce expressing sorrow and dismay over reports of sexual abuse by priests in Bolivia, pledging the Catholic Church’s cooperation with state investigations.^[17]

June

• 14 June - Bolivia’s Catholic Church announces the creation of four commissions to prevent, investigate, and address cases of sexual abuse within the institution.^[17]

October

• 31 October - Bolivia cut diplomatic relations with Israel.^[18]

November

• 17 November - Demonstrators protest forest fires and gold mining in protected areas in La Paz, calling for the protection of forests and Indigenous lands.^[19]

December

• 30 December - The Constitutional Court disqualifies former president Evo Morales from running for re-election in 2025, reversing a 2017 ruling that had allowed him to seek a fourth term.^[20]

Deaths

Further information: 2023 deaths

See also: Category:2023 deaths

• 9 January – Martín Alipaz, 57, photojournalist (b. 1966)^[21]

References

1. "Calles de Santa Cruz aparecen como un campo de batalla el primer día de 2023". Página Siete (in Spanish). La Paz. 1 January 2023. Archived from the original on 2 January 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
2. Arancibia Guillén, Guider (1 January 2023). "Ven que policías coartan el derecho a ciudadanos al prohibir el libre tránsito en la zona del Comando". El Deber (in Spanish). Santa Cruz de la Sierra. Archived from the original on 2 January 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
3. "Marcha en Sucre repudia la represión en Santa Cruz". Página Siete (in Spanish). La Paz. 1 January 2023. Archived from the original on 2 January 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
4. "Cívicos y activistas alistan movilización conjunta en rechazo a la represión en Santa Cruz". Página Siete (in Spanish). La Paz. 1 January 2023. Archived from the original on 2 January 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
5. "Se registran dos feminicidios el primer día de 2023 en Santa Cruz y Tarija". Los Tiempos (in Spanish). Cochabamba. Agencia de Noticias Fides. 2 January 2023. Archived from the original on 2 January 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
6. "Arce viaja a Brasil para participar de la posesión del electo presidente Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva". Opinión (in Spanish). Cochabamba. Agencia Boliviana de Información. 1 January 2023. Archived from the original on 2 January 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
7. "Arce participa en la posesión de Lula y se reúne con la Federación Rusa en Brasil en medio del caos en Santa Cruz". Los Tiempos (in Spanish). Cochabamba. Brújula Digital. 1 January 2023. Archived from the original on 2 January 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
8. "Camacho sufre 'una parálisis en músculos y nervios'; allegados piden que sea trasladado a un centro médico". Página Siete (in Spanish). La Paz. 2 January 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
9. "Suspenden audiencia que debía definir traslado de Camacho a un hospital de La Paz". Correo del Sur (in Spanish). Sucre. Agencia de Noticias Fides. 2 January 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
10. "Abren Año Judicial y Constitucional". Correo del Sur (in Spanish). Sucre. 2 January 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
11. "Juez beneficia a Max Mendoza con detención domiciliaria tras pago de fianza de Bs 40 mil". Los Tiempos (in Spanish). Cochabamba. ERBOL. 3 January 2023. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
12. "Wilfredo Gutiérrez jura como viceministro de transportes con el desafío de concretar megaobras como el corredor bioceánico" (in Spanish). La Paz. Agencia Boliviana de Información. 9 January 2023. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
13. "Bolivia – Thousands Affected by Floods and Severe Weather in Chuquisaca Department – FloodList". floodlist.com. Retrieved 23 September 2025.
14. "Complainants in Bolivia Case Opt for Inspection Panel Investigation". World Bank. Retrieved 23 September 2025.
15. "Bolivia looks to curb fuel smuggling with help of armed forces". Reuters. 13 April 2023. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
16. "Bolivia conducts a simulation exercise to strengthen the National Deployment and Vaccination Plan for influenza and other respiratory viruses". www.who.int. Retrieved 23 September 2025.
17. "Pope Francis expresses concern and dismay over alleged abuse by priests in Bolivia". AP News. 16 June 2023. Retrieved 23 September 2025.
18. "Bolivia severs diplomatic ties with Israel, citing 'crimes against humanity'". Reuters. 31 October 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
19. Human Rights Watch (14 December 2023), "Bolivia: Events of 2023", Share this via Facebook, retrieved 23 September 2025
20. "Bolivian court rules that former president Morales cannot seek re-election". France 24. 30 December 2023. Retrieved 23 September 2025.
21. "El último adiós al fotoperiodista Martín Alipaz, recordado como valiente y sensible". Página Siete (in Spanish). La Paz. 9 January 2023. Retrieved 9 January 2023.

External links

• Media related to 2023 in Bolivia at Wikimedia Commons